Online gift secrets
Just as you have shoppers who’d rather hit the local holiday markets than the malls this time of year, there’s a select group of online shoppers that likes to stick to their small sites and cling to their best-kept secret. The following websites help you put some thought back into holiday shopping and give more memorable gifts.
Oompa — Want every possible variation on wooden blocks, rocking horses, trains and anything else kids played with before electricity? Done. Want organic toys made free of pesticides and made only in the U.S. or Germany? Done. Want some “plan toys” to make sure your child takes those all-important first steps toward maintaining their upper-middle-class station in life? Much like your child’s acceptance to an independent school, it’s in the bag. “No Batteries. No Blinking Lights. No Cartoon-Themed Toys. Period,” the site’s slogan says. Nothing says “well-adjusted child” quite like multiple uses of the word “no.” oompa.com
Rent Mother Nature — Keeping with the hippie/crusty yuppie theme for a moment, this Cambridge, Mass.-based consortium will send you fresh maple syrup, honey or even seafood for a clambake, but its greatest gifts come in the form of farm shares. Anyone who’s been a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, for the uninitiated) will get the basic idea: You buy a stake in a farm for a friend or loved one, Rent Mother Nature lets you know how your share is doing and then, once harvest rolls around or goods are collected, they’re shipped to your recipient’s door.
Bauble Bar — Sometimes you don’t need Tiffany or Saks when just a less-gaudy trinket will do. That’s the basic reason Bauble Bar exists. A couple of friends in New York discovered fashion jewelry was in short supply in their closets, mostly because they didn’t know where to start sifting through unwieldy collections and where to shop that wouldn’t have either a prohibitive price tag or an air of as-seen-on-TV cheapness. As a result, Bauble Bar began introducing trending items every Monday, spotlighting a new designer each Thursday, breaking off stocking stuffers into its holiday gift suite and partnering with Elle magazine on its holiday shop. Not every jewelry purchase has to be an investment in precious gems and metals. Sometimes it’s just about putting the right hardware with the right outfit.baublebar.com
Modcloth — ModCloth built its reputation on retro dresses and vintage frocks, but its selection of fun little toys is a stocking stuffer’s fantasy. Let aspiring “Mad Men” cast members browse the rockabilly racks, cocktail collection and bevy of little black dresses. Your portable turntable, owl tea set and ice cream sandwich iPhone case will make just as big of a holiday impression for less cash. modcloth.com
By Jason Notte, TheStreet.com
